If I Stay, starring Chloe Grace Moretz as Mia Hall, hit box offices this week. It passed up Sin City, making almost 7 million in it’s first weekend.

The movie, based on Gayle Forman’s best selling young adult novel, follows Mia through a horrific car accident that leaves her body in a coma and her soul wandering the hospital floor. In an out of body experience, Mia thinks back on her life to make the difficult decision of if she’ll stay or not.

But the film did veer from it’s bestselling novel a considerable amount. The pace, as with all books made into films, was quicker. The feel of the film however, was off. While the book felt moving and thoughtful, the movie felt fake and pushed.

The romance between Mia and Adam (Jamie Blackley), though believable, was sickeningly cheesy. From the cliche “Do I belong with him” moments to the fights about leaving for college, the relationship was both relatable and annoying.

However, the overarching themes of the movie were solid. Torn between herself and others, between love and her own dreams, and between life and death, the film was relatable for a wide range of audiences. The typically teenage drama of college and long distance relationships made the more foreign topics of death tangible for the viewer.
The topic of death itself often makes people uncomfortable, but this film succeeded in making it not only emotionally moving, but conceptually easy for persons identify with.

The film, however, has a rather narrow audience base. Unlike other recent young adult movies, like The Giver and The Fault In Our Stars, this film is directed at no other audience except teenagers. The teenage romance makes it nearly inaccessible adults who are over 20.

Cinematically, ‘If I Stay’ was a rollercoaster.

There were some stunning videography of snowy Canada, and a horribly cliche death scene, featuring a light at the end of the hallway.The well produced scenes there were, far out matched by the painfully poor supporting actors within scenes.

While Moretz acting wasn’t poor, the supporting characters sold this film as believable. From Mia’s grandfather, to her best friend Kim, the supporting actors get all the credit.

What truly makes this movie worth seeing is the phenomenal soundtrack. Mia, plays the cello and her boyfriend Adam, the guitar. Their contrasting styles are expertly mixed. Director, R. J. Cutler, uses this to his advantage.

Anyone who plays an instrument can relate completely to Mia’s descriptions of playing. The music is emotionally moving, and keeps the film at a nice pace. Cutler’s uses of punk and classical are beautifully paired and will make the soundtrack a bestseller.

Overall, If I Stay was a typical teenage drama. While some aspects, like the music and casting, made this film a standout, the cliche and gag worthy romance was enough to turn off any viewer.

3 out of 5 stars.